way of Faith of Christ and the Promises and the glory of the New Testament is ever unsetled unstable full of fears doubtings distractions questioning and the more such a soul is reasoned with concerning their condition the more they question the truth of every spiritual working in them and this comes from the power of the Law still upon their consciences which is more powerful to convince and accuse them then the Gospel is to excuse or acquit them having more of the ministery of condemnation before them or in their eye then of the ministery of life Jesus Christ and Satan he takes advantage of their legal condition and stirs up jealousies and doubts and so much as there is of legal apprehensions so much there is to hinder the bringing in of the Kingdom of God into the soul which is not onely righteousnesse but peace and joy and therefore under the Old Testament where they saw the Blood of Christ onely through the blood of Bulls and Goats and heard the Apostles afar off in the Prophets and were brought to the Mountain that smoaked they lived in much bondage and being under the Law till the fulnesse of time that the Seed came were like servants though they were heirs too the heir as the Apostle saith then differing nothing from a servant though he was lord of all There is nothing but the taking in of the Law and accusings or condemnations of it which can trouble the peace quiet of any soul for where there is no law there is no transgression and where there is no transgression there is no trouble for sin all trouble arising from the obligement of the Law which demands a satisfaction of the soul for the breach of it and such a satisfaction which the soul knows it cannot give and thereby remains unquiet like a debtor that hath nothing to pay and the Law too being naturally in the soul as the Apostle saith the conscience accusing or else excusing It is no marvel that such souls should be troubled for sin and unpacified the Law having such a party ingagement already within them which holding an agreement with the Law in Tables or Letters of Stone must needs work strongly upon the spirits of such as are but weakly faintly enlightned and are not furnished with Gospel enough to answer the indictments the convictions the terrours the curses which the Law bâ—ings therefore all the power of Christ and the Gospel is to be applyed to raise up such souls from under the power of those stones and burdens which the Law would â—oll upon them Such are to have more Gospel then ordinary applied because they have so much Law naturally within them Such are to know they are not now under the Law but under Grace and the Law hath no more dominion over them and they are dead unto that Husband and they are now upon a new foundation Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone and we should say to such Let not your hearts be troubled ye beleeve in God beleeve also in Jesus Christ VII The working of the Spirit of Christ in a soul though not so clearly enlightned I observe That in a soul though legally enlightned or receiving Christ yet there are certain Gospel-workings whereby it will appear that Jesus Christ is there 1. There is a closing or fastning or clasping about Christ in the Promises of the Gospel especially some of the freest and fullest of Grace for such souls can onely finde some freedom of going out to Christ in them as some who delights most in men of easiest and hearty behaviour and can sooner make a friend of them then any other and if there be but any promises with the least condition of repentance c. they dare not meddle with such suspecting themselves not enough prepared for them and suspecting the promises like strangers of too narrow behaviours for them to be familiar with like some modest homely Maide that is unwilling to go abroad into company of greater quality then her self lest she should not be well thought on or received as too mean or ill-bred for their society So are the souls of such as cannot close with the conditional promises 2. There is in such some breathings of soul to God some flowings out of Spirit some meltings of heart in prayer and dispositions like a birth newly quickned where there are many motions of life so where Christ is new formed like a Lock in tune where there is in every wheel put turnings and stirrings My beloved saith the Spouse put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him I rose up to open to my beloved and my hands dropped with Myrrhe and my fingers with sweet smelling Myrrhe upon the handles of the lock 3. There is in such a secret working against sin and lust or corruption the spirit that is come in is a pure a clean an holy spirit and all the motions and operations of it are to make the soul and body clean and spiritual as they that are of a neat and finer disposition they will not live in a room unswept and ungarnished I have put off my coat saith the Spouse how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them And he that hath this hope saith the Apostle purifieth himself even as he is pure and having received such promises there will be a cleansing themselves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit What communion hath light with darknesse 4. There is in such some acts of Communion with God in his several Ordinances and with the Spirit and Christ such will finde a power and efficacy a rellish and sweetnesse a stirring and awakening in the Word preached in prayer in spiritual conference in every Ordinance which others that are yet meerly carnal do not experience though it fares often with such as with Samuel when he was young and the Lord called him he thought it had been Eli that had spoken he was not acquainted with the voice and speakings of the Spirit or of God So the souls of such know not the Word not Spirit in their souls many times the voice of Christ is not heard for the voice of Moses nor the voice of Grace for the voice of the Law and they know not when the Lord breathes or comes as Eliah whether in the winde or in the fire when as he is in the still and small voice of the Gospel there are many things which hinder such in their discernings and perceivings of the Spirit of Christ not onely things without as the Law c. but something within the Passions and legalnesse of their own spirits which troubles both their spiritual hearing and seeing and that makes many souls walk so little in the Spirit and be at such a losse in their Communion with God and all this is for want of bringing the soul more out into the glory of the Gospel being called the Ministration
temptations at length For whither may not Satan roll such a poor soul that is tumbling down the Hill already And they that weigh their state of grace onely in the scale of mortification of sin as it is commonly taken for dying to particular acts cannot be so infallibly or certainly perswaded as they that place their assurance most in Christ in the free promises because sin hath ever a stronger side in us then the spirit And in this life the sin is more taken away then the lust and our blessednesse is more in having the curse of it removed then the corruption and our justification is more glorious then our sanctification and our forgivenesse from sin more then our cleansing from sin For the just shall live by Faith which is not a life by sense and sanctification meerly but a life by beleeving for life in another in Christ and therefore our life is said to be hid with Christ and Christ is called our life when Christ who is our life c. I speak now to the weak and wounded beleevers for sin not to the carnal and unregenerate in sin IV. The greatest temptations upon sinning in an enlightned condition I observe That the temptations of self-murdering and self-destroying are much from an inward perplexity restlessenesse of soul for sin in an enlightned condition so as a wounded spirit who can bear And that a yeelding up the soul to the least violence of temptations is very dangerous and that the fury of temptations is best allayed by considering and gaining time upon the temptation and not closing too soon These are the fiery darts the Apostle speaks off Darts because they come as shot into the soul and fiery as enflaming the spirit Now the spirit of God is a more pure peaceable and easie to be intreated spirit and the workings of it more gracious temptations being so quick violent raging are best resisted in Christs own way and method he did not stand hearkning and parleying but applyed the Word presently in his own power against them It is written thus and thus And in the Apostles way Resist the divel and he will flee from you neither give place to the divel And amongst all the spiritual Artillery the shield of Faith is the strongest and we may sooner beleeve Satan from us and beleeve unto victory and conquering through Christ In whom we are more then conquerours as the Apostle saith then by reasoning or arguing for then we fight against a temptation in our own power but by beleeving in Christs power V. That back-sliding or relapsing is much mistaken and mortification of sin of the more mystical mortification beleevers have I observe That this one mistake in some Preachers and people hath deceived many That a soul converted doth scarce fall back into the same sin and that such a fall or relapse is a ground for us to question all Now we must know that the spring and fountâ—in from whence that sin flows which was a powerful sin in the unregenerate state is lust or the law in the members or the body of sin or the flesh there are all these and more names for sinful nature Now the converting a soul to Christ doth not heal this fountain of sinful nature wholly nor take it away quite but there is still a power in the flesh lusting against the spirit so as it is both possible and easie for the same particular sin or act of corruption to break out and appear upon the juncture of the same temptations and Gods taking off for a time his power of restraint and spirit We know corruption may gather strength in the regenerate ones and so the fountain may bubble at the same place after conversion as before Conversion takes not away corruption from the nature of man but ingrafts or plants in a new nature of spirit into the nature of man which weakens and impairs and works out the flesh and the inward growing of the new man causeth a perishing of the outward man and we being now in the second Adam who is the quickning Spirit the old man or Adam is put off daily with his former lusts yet not so but that we may be much lost in our account as many are for there is great deceitfulnesse in mortification of sin as it is commonly taken for the not actings of sin or conceivings of lust is not pure mortification because there may be lust or sinful nature yet that lust through the power of some Law Covenant Promise or Legal watchfulnesse as is usual with some under Legal conversion may be so kept under that it breaks not out and yet it is there as in the paring of the nails or cutting of the hair or pruning of the tree there is a cutting off but not a cutting out nor an eradicating or rooting up of such a nature and so long there may be a breaking out a springing a gain and so in corruption or sinful nature So as I conceive it is rather tradition then truth that converted persons can scarce relapse into the same particular sin yet we have been told of a strange power which contrition or repentance brings with it to the melting away the former sin quite or at least to lay in such a spiritual restraint upon the soul that it shall scarce ever commit the particular sin of its unregenerate state again For my part I like the notion well if it did not cast a snare upon souls that are weak and of a back-sliding nature As for example If one ride through a stony way where he hath often faln his fals may make him ride more watchfully and carefully but they cannot secure him against falling again But surely mortification of sin is not purely understood it is not the restraint or legal watchfulnesse over a particular sin in which many a Papist as well as legal Professors abound and so a preserving the soul by a carnally-spiritual carefulnesse from thaâ— sin as a Keeper that hath a Lion in a chain who is onely tame because he cannot break out nor is it onely a spiritual change or transforming power the spirit brings with it into our nature but it is a more spiritual thing yet it is an implanting or embodying with Christ in the fellowship of his sufferings passion death and resurrection and it is a dying to the dominion of sin more then to the nature of sin even to the sting and strength of sin which is the Law as the Apostle saith For if the not acting such or such a sin or the spiritually-carnal change as the sanctification of this life is there being no pure in dwelling inherent righteousnesse in any were pure mortification Then not onely your Popish Anchorites or Eremites would excel who live in their Cell and Wildernesse and keep their corruptions as Jaylours keep their prisoners in Irons and Grates that they break not out and wander so abroad as other mens corruptions that have more liberty and yet they
of this nature without Christ who is a beleevers sanctification as well as righteousnesse But to stop the issuâ— of the soul in these questions and scruples with this Question Quest Can you have any assurance that the change that is in any childe of God in this life or their sanctification is such in any particular act or work as there is no spot of sin in it Is it not mixt of flesh spirit Why then do you feel after it so as you do Since the best and throrowst sanctification in any is not pure enough for the eyes of the Lord why make you it then any bottom for assurance You see all the while you have so done you can finde like Noahs Dove no rest for the soal of your foot for saith Christ When you have done all you can you are but unprofitable servants and all our righteousnesse is but as filthy rags and while you gaze on your work of sanctification you finde a rottennesse in every part of it and call all into question and finde fault both with your repentance mortification and new obedience and all therefore you must take Christ in here for sanctification still to settle and establish your spirit Answ But what use is there then of my sanctification Are not the fruits and effects of the spirit in me such as follow immediately upon my being justified Quest Yea they are the natural flowings and workings of your faith they help to evidence your faith and comfort your faith in their kinde and degree But as I said before they are given to be a light in some measure to your own and others consciences Let your light so shine before men and glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits Shew me thy faith by thy works they are the bracelets of the Spouse they are the beams of Christ the Sun of righteousnesse Now clouds may hinder the beams from enlightning a room but the Sun is still where he was the Tree you know is there where it was when the Apples or Grapes may be blown down so the glory of sanctification may be often darkned and the fruits of it blown down by the winde of temptation spoken on in the Parable Yet then such promises as these are laid in for such a season Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Isai. 50.10 And the vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry waite for it waite for it because it will surely come and not tarry But the just shall live by faith Habac. 2.3 4. Answ But why do the Apostles presse sanctification and the new man so and love and new obedience c. in all their Epistles Quest I answered this partly before Sanctification is the beginning of the forming of Christ here in this life in one part of him which is Holinesse which shall be perfected in the life to come when we shall be fashioned like unto his glorious Body Sanctification is the witnesse to the Righteousnesse of Christ which being a glory out of sight to the soul and the world is made clearer by faith and holinesse to both So as in sanctification both soul and body flesh and spirit joyn to glorifie the riches of Christ Ye are bought with a price glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits and walk as children of the light and of the day So as the wisdom of the spirit is seen much in the Word in pressing sanctification and praising sanctification both to set forth the nature of the spirit in beleevers and to quicken flesh and blood against an empty formal Profession CHAP. V. The Parties third Doubt concerning Faith or Beleeving which I call the Great The third Doubt is WHether you do beleeve or no The great Gospel-secret concerning Faith or Beleeving FIrst I shall shew you my thoughts concerning the nature of this Doubt It is one thing to beleeve and another thing to know we beleeve I suppose none ought to question whether they do beleeve or no but to beleeve till they be perswaded that they do beleeve more and more of the truth of their faith or beleef righteousnesse being revealed from faith to faith My grounds for this are these 1. Christs command to beleeve and this is his Commandment That we should beleeve on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ Now Commands of this nature are to be obeyed not disputed Good servants do not reason their duty out first with themselves but fall to doing as they are commanded 2. I finde not any in the whole course of Christs preaching or the Disciples when they preached to them to beleeve asking the question Whether they beleeved or no or whether their Faith were true Faith or no I finde one saying Lord I beleeve help my unbeleef But not Lord whether do I beleeve or no And Lord encrease my faith But not Lord whether is this true faith I have or no It would be a strange question in any that were bidden to a Feast to ask the Master of the Feast whether his dainties were real or a delusion would not such a question disparage him for a Sorcerer So in the things of the Spirit to be over-jealous of the Truth of them as many poor tempted souls are doth not be come the faithfulnesse of Jesus Christ The way to be sure of the truth of the good things is to taste and see how good the Lord is Spiritual things are best felt and tasted with feeding upon them Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved 3. For any to doubt whether they do beleeve or no I finde to be a question onely fit and proportionable for Christ himself to satisfie who is called the Author and finisher of our Faith None can prove more properly to a soul it beleeves then he on whom it beleeves Who can more properly shew one that he sees then the light which enlightens him for that very purpose 4. Faith is truely and simply this A being perswaded more or lesse of Christs love and therefore it is called A beleeving with the heart Now what infallible signe is there to perswade any that they are perswaded when themselves question the truth of their perswasion There may be some things which may strengthen and help which I shall hereafter shew you from the Word which are by way of effects and properties of this faith and beleef but none can simply perswade a soul that it doth beleeve but he on whom it doth beleeve God shall perswade Japhet Who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him she loves but himself Can all the love-tokens or testimonial Rings and Bracelets They may concur and help in the manifestation but it is the voice of the beloved My beloved
own person they under the Law saw this day but afar off they saw but the blood of bulls and goats and grace and peace afar off but blessed are our eyes for we see and our ears for we hear that which many Kings righteous men have desired we see the Son of God bleeding himself and are under a more spiritual sprinkling then they they were under a fleshly purifying they were as children and servants that were not at age so had neither the use nor freedom of the heavenly inheritance they were subject to death and bondage we are delivered to serve him without fear they were kept under the school-mastership of the Law we now the fulnesse of time is come enjoy the pretious liberty of the sons of God the light which they lived in before was glorious compared with the darknesse the Nations lived in even under a region and shadow of death but it was darknesse compared with the light of the Gospâ—l now light covers the earth and it is not such an enlightening as that of mount Sinai to bondage and fear a light with smoak in it and thunder in it or a light with types and terrour in it but a more clear comfortable and soul-refreshing light the beams of Christ now shine with grace and love upon the souls of his people like the Sun in the Spring-time in whose light there goes a vertue which causes the earth to spring and blossom so do the souls of the Saints under the Sun of righteousnesse now grace mercy and salvation is in the light thereof and love joy peace with all the fruits of the spirit do appear So as Gospel-times have the substance and body of Christ and all that is Christs the Gospel-ministery hath the flowings of the spirit Act. 2.17 18. Joh. 16.17 hath power and life in it to change the soul from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. Joh. 5.25 hath spiritual freedom to set souls at liberty from death and the curse everlasting righteousnesse is brought in Dan. 9. and the fulnesse of age is come so as the severity of the Law the Schoolmaster hath done whipping us we are now under grace Gal. 4.5 6. the Gospel-ministery hath Jesus Christ himself no signe of him no type of him here is no sacrifice now no Moses now but the very Son of God and with him a whole change of the Priesthood and Ordinances now no more Priests to reconcile God but God reconciled and Ministers of reconciliation the Ordinances few clear and spiritual and the ministery free and large no more to Jew onely but to Jew and Gentile even to the world God so loveth the world now that whosoever beleeveth shall have life Isai. 54.1 XLI In what kinde the Gospel is glorious THough the Gospel tels of glorious things yet they that overlook this glory may soon see little of it for in the word there is but a little noise A sad story of one crucified dead and risen all the out-side is but mean the ministery onely a plain businesse of tydings or the foolishnesse of Preaching 1 Cor. 1.18 The other wayes of it plain and homely some water for Baptism a little bread and wine for food The meanest and poorest most commonly for followers and friends of it not many noble nor many mighty 1 Cor. 1. The Ministers of it or preachers and publishers of it but homely What is Paul or Apollo's but Ministers by whom we beleeve 1 Cor. 2.5 The House of God or family or Church some poor ones called Saints in fellowship the Officers but few and plain Pastors Deacons Elders the Laws some bare words of entreaty as well as command all both Word Ministery Officers with all the doings and administrations that concern Christ all suited to a poor crucified dying Jesus to a state of humiliation And thus all so mean as to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.23 Thus the Gospel looks on the worldly side of it Thus Christ neither striving nor crying nor any one hearing his voice in the streets Matth. 18.19 20. Thus is the work of salvation carried in a mystery This is the wisdom of God in a mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 8. And yet great is this mystery of godlinesse First In Jesus Christ himself though he look like the Carpenters Son yet he is the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth The brightnesse of his glory and expresse image of his person John 1.14 Heb. 1.2 The Word it self or Scriptures though a Word or Book like a common writing yet it is a Word of truth The power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 The Ministery though but a little plain teaching yet mighty to save to cast down high imaginations to reconcile and the Ministers of it Stewards of the Mysteries of God Ambassadours in Christs stead their feet beautiful with glad tydings to sinners 2 Cor. 47. 2 Cor. 5.20 The people of God or friends of this Gospel though counted the off-scouring of the world yet a spirit of glory resteth on them 1 Pet. 4.14 As dying and yet behold they live as sorrowful and yet alwayes rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 11. The Kingdom of God though a thing not seen yet righteousnesse peace and joy Rom. 14.17 XLII The form of the Gospel or way of dispensation THe Gospel is formed up of exhortations and perswasions We beseech you to be reconciled c. And suffer a word of exhortation c. And of conditional promises c. As Whosoever beleeveth shall not perish c. Of threatnings as he that beleeveth not is condemned c. Of Commandments If ye love me keep my Commandments c. Now this Gospel thus fashioned is on purpose for the better dispensing of it to the souls of his people that his divine and spiritual things might be more naturally conveyed in a notional and natural way as the Key is made fit to the Wards of the Lock And this is the end rather of this Gospel fashion then any supposed free-will in man as some imagine for the Gospel is offered not upon freedom of will in any but that those who are made to receive it should be wrought on in a way as neer to their own condition and nature or reason as can be for none are converted against their will but their will is spiritually changed and so they are made willing in the day of his power God doth not break up the hearts of his people but doth open them and stands and knocks Lydia's heart was opened and he stands at the door and knocks Revel. This is the Gospel-way of his enterance He doth not strive nor cry nor doth any one hear his voice in the streets He doth not force in himself nor any thing of his into the soul but brings in spiritual things so naturally as they cannot nay will not resist XLIII
of these who would persecute that Christ now whom hereafter they may preach But I have done and if I have erred in any thing for I see but in part and know but in part it is in filling out that Wine too freely which the Master of the Feast if I mistake not hath bidden me saying Drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Cant. 5. TO THE READER IN the Experiment of this soul you may see a Spirit of adoption in Bondage and one made poor in Spirit through the ignorance of the riches of grace and by a legal faith as I may say both under Grace and the Law at the same time Surely such legal beleevers are as much subject to death and bondage in their own apprehensions under the Gospel as they were before under the Law You have here the frame of this soul or the constitution and condition of a Spirit before conversion under conversion and under the relapse or falling back into the same sins and under the temptations for those sins and under a legal recovery out of those temptations and under a fuller revelation of grace and truth onely drawn out of their own experiences by which we may see what the want of the knowledge of Jesus Christ is And the more Christ is known and that love of God to the Sons of men which was manifest in the flesh the more that glorious liberty from the Law Sin and Satan is manifested in that soul This made Paul desire so to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified And the more this light of the Gospel shines in the face of Jesus Christ the more doth the ignorance of flesh and blood dissolve and the shadows of the Law as doubts fears terrours which are cast in vanish before it For the day breaks and the shadows flie away The onely scope of this Discourse and Observations is to hold forth the glory of Free-grace and that by this one Experiment Wisdom might be justified of her Children O the riches of his grace O the fountain of his love O the exceeding and comprehensive freenesse and the flowing of his blood washing us when we are polluted in our own Thus he cals us beloved when we are not beloved and we who had not obtained mercy do obtain mercy And I thought my self not a little happy to have such an effectual door as this opened to deal with the experiences of a soul in this kinde And for the following Conference and for my Observations and other particulars I took this occasion to draw out my discourse of Grace and Gospel-glory from the faithful experiences of such a soul wherein the work of nature and grace and spirit and Satan was clearly visible and discernible rather then to found them upon meer notions and conjectural Principles For in the experiences of a soul we may more clearly discern the deep things of the Spirit reading them in the spirits of such as possesse Christ as in the Counterpane of the Scriptures for there truth answers to truth as in water face answers to face THE CONTENTS Of the Book CHAP. I. OF the Parties natural condition and how they felt themselves in their state of nature before they could perswade themselves they had taken Christ Pag. 1. Observations 1. Of the bondage that a meerly carnal man sins in and where true spiritual freedom is p. 3. 2. Of the resistings of sin and sorrowings for sin which are in a natural man p. 5. 3. How far many go in a formal profession and meer natural Religion raised up a little by the power of the Word p. 7. CHAP. II. OF the Parties first trouble for the sins they lived in which is supposed to be the time of conversion or calling or light from Christ p. 11. Observations 1. Of the Preachers several dealings with this Party to settle them and not in a way of beleeving first pag. 26 2. The unstablenesse of such as are not converted in a pure Gospel-way p. 33. 3. The several wayes which the Lord makes use on to salvation p. 35. 4. The want of true Gospel-knowledge in Jesus Christ is the cause of many distractions in beleevers p. 36. 5. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners p. 39. 6. A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel p. 43. 7. The working of the Spirit of Christ in a soul though not so clearly enlightned p. 46. CHAP. III. OF the Parties falling into the same sins in some measure which they had lived in in their unregenerate state from whence all their late bondage hath been P. 50. Observations 1. The danger of placing assurance most in mortification of sin p. 53. 2. The danger of drawing our comforts most from the change in the outward man p. 54 3. The spiritual condition in this life more in being justified from sin then cleansed from sin p. 56. 4. The greatest temptations upon sinning in an enlightned condition p. 57. 5. That back-sliding or relapsing is much mistaken and mortification of sin of the more mystical mortification beleevers have p. 59. 6. The sum of the mystery of mortification of sin in a beleever p. 65. 7. That there is danger in putting too much upon the sin of relapsing or back-sliding in beleevers p. 69. 8. The conclusion concerning the mystical and spiritual mortification p. 73. 9. Some Scriptures concerning falling away interpreted p. 75. CHAP. IV. THe Party after such openings of the frame of their spirit is now discoursed with upon certain particular Questions p. 78. The Parties several Doubts answered 1. That they are not therefore beloved of God or in Christ because they fell back again into sin p. 79. 2. Because they found not a change in the whole man p. 80. 3. Because they feel not themselves sanctified they think they are not justified p. 81. CHAP. V. THe Parties great Doubt concerning faith or beleeving p 92. 1. The great Gospel secret concerning faith or beleeving Ibid. 2. We are first to beleeve and all other gifts will follow p. 97. The several wayes opened how the mystery of Godlinesse and Free-grace hath been received in and in what degrees it hath been enquired for in this present age p. 106. 1. GOds first revealing himself to man in goodnesse and Free-grace p. 107. 2. Gods Free grace to sinners more discovered p. 111. 3. More of Gods Free-grace and Love of mans sin and redemption discovered p. 114. 4. The Son of God how considered in the work of Salvation p. 119. 5. Gods love manifested in the Gospel-expressions p. 124. 6. The new Covenant no Covenant properly with us but with Christ for us p. 125. 7. Gods manner of Covenanting p. 127. 8. They that are under Grace revealed are no more under the Law p. 128. 9. When God is said to be in Covenant with the soul Ibid. 10. A justified person is a perfect person p. 129. 11. Sin separates not
and I could powre out my soul in much sorrow and remorse for sin O me thought I could spend a whole night in praying for what my soul wanted That which I much desired in prayer was still that my sinful soul might be healed of sin and that running issue of sin that ran and ceased not might be stopped Yet in this my time and those dayes I seldom desired pardon of sin till I were fitted for mercies But now I see we are pardoned freely I cannot even now but say this O rest not therefore in your own duties lest you perish in the sparks you kindle as I had almost done I observed a good providence of the Lord to me in providing me still many Christians to complain to in this my condition OBSERVATIONS on the former Discourse I. Of the Preachers several dealings with this Party to settle them and not in a way of beleeving first I Observe That now this soul questioning the truth of all their assurances they labour to perswade it to faith or beleeving upon a ground of Sanctification in themselves which hath no evidence nor for the present can bring any demonstration to the spirit For Satan and the Parties own suspecting heart will not let them beleeve any truth in that which they have found so faulty As for instance a man that hath had cause to be jealous of his wife hath seen some miscarriages all the friends she can make are not able to satisfie and take away all grounds of fear jealousie from him by their perswasion but he will still suspect because he once had some real ground and unlesse they can take away this they cannot perswade him to that So in that soul where there hath been real failings and a spiritual discerning of its own unrighteousnesse all the perswasions of others cannot make it have any good opinion of it self nor perswade it of its righteousnesse unlesse they can take away that unrighteousnesse sin and make it to be no sin and no unrighteousnesse For the soul which is onely troubled for sin must be setled upon some thing which is not sin and upon a righteousnesse either in it self or some other or there can be no setlement peace or comfort in that soul And yet this is the common way of dealing with souls and bringing them up into assurance as thus Repent and pray and live an holy life and walk according to the Law of God and if they answer they cannot do thus O then say they can you not desire to pray and repent and if they say they cannot desire O but then say they can you not desire that you may desire And thus they winde them up by acts of their own spirit and run them out to the end of their own workings when alas these desires of desires and the spining of such fine threds in divinity are not strong enough to binde up a broken spirit This is but the broken work of a soul for how many have desired to enter in have not been able Nay Who is there not that have a desire All the world of common beleevers are carried on by this principle of a desire We see now the vanity of such reasonings with a soul troubled for sin and questioning the truth of the spiritual work in themselves Such kinde of arguing may give some hints to the soul that hath the Spirit of God in it some spiritual actings to pacifie and perswade it a while because it findes something in it self agreeable to such a discourse but these are too narrow and weak to bear up the burden of sin and legal terrours like the bottom and point of a top which being so small may for some time that it is in motion bear up the body of the top as wee see but when the motion is done the top fals having nothing proportionable to support it So the soul turns upon some hints of comfort a while but flattens again And this is the furthest and strongest satisfaction the discourse of such Divines can give yet I despise them not in this Light they have so they contend not against the more glorious light of truth but the Lord if he please reveal more unto them But you will say how will you deal then with a soul thus puzzled and questioning I answer I shall not dare to place them on any bottom of their own righteousnesse or to satisfie themselves by something only in themselves that were to take the disease for the Physitian to give them no oyntment but blood of their own wound to heal them nor should I take that other way which many do that are of this legal strain too as to apply promises to them first which many times instead of drawing the soul to Christ puts it further off bringing some conditions which the soul questioning in themselvs dares not meddle with before it be prepared by Christ and his freenesse But you will say what way will you take then I answer That way which the Scriptures reveal to me First the laying down and establishing and bringing forth a perfect righteousnesse even the righteousnesse of Christ and then shewing forth the way of common right and interest to this righteousnesse which is contained in the freest promises for bringing souls to close with and partake of this perfection and righteousnesse more plainly thus Christ crucified is the foundation and corner-stone and rock for sinners The righteousnesse of this Christ is every way perfect and compleat This righteousnesse is that which hath taken away the sins of the world so as no sin is now to be satisfied for nor no new righteousnesse to be wrought by any for salvation onely all that will be saved are to beleeve their interest and right in this righteousnesse and already purchased salvation And for the way of coming by a right or purchasing an interest in this righteousnesse or salvation it is held out without price or works in the freest clearest promises of salvation to sinners onely for taking and receiving beleeving in all being wrought to our hands So us this is as good a ground for one to beleeve on as another without exception and in this way of salvation to beleeve is life eternal and not to beleeve is condemnation He that beleeveth hath everlasting life and he that beleeveth not is condemned and this being a Scripture way I would leave the soul upon these principles and under this Commandment Beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ for this is the Commandment that ye beleeve on his Son c. But you will say what if a soul answer I cannot beleeve I am not elected I shall answer then to such a soul thus You are bound to beleeve because it is a Commandment and you are not to make an objection from election or reprobation against your beleeving for that were to set one part of the truth against the other And thus you misinterpret both God and his Word But you
will say How if a soul answer I cannot beleeve for all this I answer This being a Scripture-way and the clearest way revealed to salvation I shall commend such to the Lord who is the onely Author and finisher of Faith Heb. 12.2 And for establishing souls upon any works of their own as a way means or ground of assurance as that upon such a measure of repentance or obedience they may beleeve by I dare not deal in any such way of our own righteousnesse because I finde no infallible mark in any thing of our own sanctification save in a lower way of perswasion or motive I finde in the Old or New Testament scarce any beleever that stood the surest but they had some cause through sin and corruption and that unregenerate law in their members to suspect their righteousnesse as David and Peter and Paul c. And likewise the stream of the Word runs all against our own righteousnesse But you will say What are all the divers Scriptures which set us upon trial and examination of our saith and works I answer There is another kinde of analogy and rule to interpret these by more principal and not of assurance for salvation These are rather marks for others then our selves to know us by as in the Epistles of John and James c. And for those other few Scriptures they are rather to be interpreted to the testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing and perswading then to the mixt spiritually carnal works of our obedience and holinesse which can give but a mixed act of assurance at the best being of a mixed nature of flesh and spirit But you will say What way of assurance would you commend to a soul thus troubled I answer Christ in the Word and Promise to beleeve in for assurance This was that way the Lord himself commended to his Disciples as to Peter when he knew he should deny him and foretold him of it and knew how it would discourage him and wound him yet he puts not Peter to this course saying Peter thou art an holy obedient loving Apostle remember this to comfort thy self under thy denial But he says Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not And thus he laid him in an encouragement from a word or promise to beleeve by and not from any thing in himself and so to his Disciples when he was to leave them he laid them not in assurances thus O my Disciples though I am from you yet ye have been thus and thus penitent humble loving obedient and let this be your ground and assurance when I am gone But he layes in words and promises You beleeve in God beleeve also in me I will sâ—â—d the Comforter and I will see you again And these are the grounds for their assurance to beleeve by and this was Abrahams way He beleeved the promise in hope against hope And so all that walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham II. The unstablenesse of such as are not converted in a pure Gospel-way I observe that the calling and conversion which souls have in a legally-Gospel-way not from a pure and clear apprehension of Jesus Christ revealed in the Gospel Covenant or Promises though there may be truth in such a calling and Christ received yet the manner being not in the way of pure Gospel-dispensation the soul may be exceedingly puzzled and perplexed so though Christ may be truely there yet being not in a Gospel-form but a legal the soul may mistake and lose the knowledge of Christ as when Christ was in the habit of a Gardiner many knew him not and when he walked with the two Disciples to Emans they knew him not And thus many under the Law though they had Christ as truely then as now yet not in that form not manifested in the flesh and the free Promises as now And Christ observes this to his Disciples Ye beleeve in God says he implying how their Faith was more carried out to God as then then to himself and therefore he addes Beleeve also in me that is Now let me manifested in the flesh be the truth whom you beleeve III. The several wayes which the Lord makes use on to salvation I observe That the Lord doth improve many ways and means to bring a soul under the power of the Gospel as several accidents and occasions though those things are not properly or principally to be called the ministery of Christ or the Gospel-Ordinance for revealing Jesus Christ but they are like the Chariot in which the Eunuch rid which was onely an outward accommodation to his receiving Christ but the proper and more immediate means was the Book of the Prophets which he had with him in his Chariot We see Paul was by a sudden accident brought into a way for the Gospel to have the free passage to his soul nor did that accident or occasion serve as the means of his receiving Christ but Ananias was sent to him the means instituted by the Lord to be a way of conveying the power of Christ upon his soul Faith cometh by hearing and the Gospel is that Power of God unto salvation and the Spirit comes by the preaching of Faith IV. The want of pure Gospel knowledge in Jesus Christ is the cause of many distractions in beleevers I observe When the Lord sends the light of Jesus Christ into a soul that hath formerly been in darknesse and in the shadow of death then it begins to see its corruptions and lusts and if there were any master-sin or chief-sin which had dominion as lust in some pride in others revenge in others worldly mindednesse in others then the soul presently is pricked upon the discovery of that and there is a remorse and perplexity in the soul They in the Acts after Peter had laid open their sin of shedding the blood of Christ were pricked to the heart for it and were inwardly troubled and wounded saying Men and Brethren what shall we do And if there be not a clear understanding of Jesus Christ and the Gospel the soul thus wounded will groan under many legal convictions the soul will hardly distinguish its condition from a worse or more miserable even that of sorrowing under the power of the Law Had not Peter been assured of the love of Christ and had his word that his faith should not fail his tears and Judas sorrowing had been all of one colour and kinde to the present and not clearly enlightned apprehension as Joseph who till he had opened himself to his Brethren was mistaken by them for a cruel and a harsh Governour but when they saw it was their Brother Joseph O what meltings and embracings were then amongst them Many a soul convinced by that Spirit which Christ hath sent to reprovo the world of sin walks sadly under the wound or burden not knowing the nature or condition of such a spiritual wound and many Preachers like some Chirurgions who keep their Patients
from healing too soon that they may make the cure the more admired do accordingly keep such souls with their wounds open and if they powre in any thing it is rather Wine then Oyl rather something of the Law then the Gospel so as they are not onely long in healing and getting peace through Jesus Christ But they carry a scar with them still and are as it were lame in their consciences a long time after like some poor Patients that have had as much of the sound flesh cut a way as the rotten and so have been healed though but to a bodily infirmity all their life time All this is for want of the knowledge of the Spirit of Adoption being in such a soul and the spirits workings in the clear apprehensions of Christ as it is not enough to enlighten the world that there is a Sun but there must be a clear body of Air for this Sun to shine through and of the application of Gospel-promises of perswading to faith and beleeving in Jesus Christ for the pardon of sin which settle and assure and establish a soul more and the light that comes in through such Gospel-applications and power will exceedingly melt a soul and wound a soul But they are the woundings and meltings of love and the Spirit of Adoption not of fear and bondage but of power love and of a sound minds Mary wept and washed Christs feet Peter wept bitterly not in fear but in love witnesse her Box of Oyntment Peters profession Lord thou knowest I love thee The passions which this Gospel-way works in the soul are such as bring inlargements and flowings and powrings out of Spirit But the passions which the Law works bring in a straightning a contraction or gathering up or narrownesse into the Spirit and therefore it is called bondage and fear V. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners I observe They that are wounded for sin and are enlightned to discern it and are so wrought on by the spirit as to feel and be sensible of it being taken into Covenant with God in Christ their stony heart taken out and yet dark in the purer conceivings of the Gospel such are ready rather to put away Gospel-promises then receive them and imagine themselvs rather in fitnesse for judgement then mercy or grace And then if Preachers run to the Law in their dealing with such souls for their thorow humiliation as they say or pretend and not to the Gospel Faith in Jesus Christ they bring fire and not water to quench them and so kindle them the more and setting the everlasting burnings of the Law before their souls put them all into a spiritual flaâ—m and vexation Nathan delt otherwise with David though under the Old Testament where there was more priviledge for the Law 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned saith David The Lord hath put away thy sin saith Nathan This is as Solomon saith To give strong drink to him that is ready to peâ—ish and wine unto those that be of an heavy hâ—art Prov. 13.6 If any one sin saith John we have an Advocate with the Father Christ Jesus the righteous Here is Gospel applyed to the very sin and the Physitian brought home to the sick and Jesus Christ brought to the very gates of a groaning spirit I know the Divinity of some former ages to these present times made up all their receipts for distempered souls of so much Law and so much Gospel and usually but a grane or dram of Gospel to a pound of Law not being then clear enough in judgement to unmingle things which Antichrist had confounded and put together as the two Testaments and two Covenants and not rightly discerning Christs manner or way of preaching and the Apostles both in their holding forth Law and Gospel Now we know that the Apostle saith Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or the preaching of Faith Gal. 3.2 And therefore they that would make the Law the Ministery of life and of the spirit are not of such a spiritual discerning as the Lord hath now revealed and such put a soul upon a legal method of conversion or coming to Christ First they must be kept so long under the Law for humiliation and contrition and confession and then brought to the Gospel as many Books and Teachers do when as the Law is not of any power to infuse such gracious passions into the soul as the Gospel cals for Blessed are they that mourn and they that are poor But this is not the mourning spirit under the Law nor the poor spirit under the curse of the Law for sin But the Gospel-mournings and Gospel-poverty even mournings of love like the groanings of the Turtle Cant. 2.12 If they be onely such as the Law brings forth and presses the soul into they are no better then the contritions of Esau and Judas but if they be such as the Law or Spirit of Jesus Christ or the Law of life works in the soul then they are of a more spiritual and pretious nature but this is from the Gospel and the preaching of Faith What Law did Peter preach to Cornelius or Philip to the Eunuch or Ananias to Paul or Paul to the Jaylor and his houshold but only Jesus Christ nor can you finde the Law I mean the Law in its form or Covenant preached but to those that were under the Law and pretended to stand by the Law and to set up a righteousnesse by the Law as the Pharisees and Jews c. Though in all this I esteem no lesse of the Law then any other as it was a Law for the people of God under Moses and hath something of the Image of God in it But now we are under a better Law a more excellent Law and a more spiritual Commandment Even that Law which was but a few single beams of righteousnesse even ten but a decalogue of righteousnesse yet now in the Gospel the righteousnesse of God is brought forth in more glorious and spiritual Commandments and for ten there are scores and with this righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of Christ is brought forth which makes the condition of Gods people a blessed condition so as they stand righteous now in all their obedience to the righteousnesse of God which is the more pure transcending and excellent Law of the Commandments of the Gospel or the more perfect Rule of the righteousnesse of God in the righteousnesse of Christ so as the New Testament is both the Law and Gospel or the righteousnesse of God and Christ more excellently manifested Do we therefore make voide the Law by the preaching of Faith Yea We establish the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousnesse VI A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel I observe A soul that is not informed by a pure Gospel-light nor apprehends not clearly the
are as bad as the rest as these in the prison who are as very theeves in the dungeon as they that are robbing by the high-way But further there would be something of our sanctification which we might call righteousnesse and so in time be as confident as they that will not lose the merit of their own works I speak here you see to further and advance a Gospel-mortification or a dying to sin in the power and life of Christ as well as the spiritual nature or new man But I would not have the power of mortification and conversion from sin mistaken to be in the not acting such or such a particular sin which was acted before or meerly in the particoloured change or inchoative sanctification onely we know what an overvaluing of that hath brought because such a mortification is too low and legal for pure beleevers but in that implantation and mystical ingrasting the soul into the glorious fellowship of Christ his death c. As for instance We put not a mans living and excellency of reason in an outward motion of the body or some one or two reasonable words spoken but in the life and soul and glorious spirit within him We put not the glory of the light in the Windows or panes of Glasse where it shines and cleerly too but in the body of the Sun the Fountain of light below So pure and spiritual mortification is radically or principally in our fellowship and union with him who killed sin in our nature in the body and thus we are spiritually and mystically dead to sin and that corruption which is within us will not be able to live long under the power of such a spiritual death and nature as Christs is but will waste and die daily though still pure mortification consists not principally in the not indwelling of corruption but in our implantation into fellowship with Christ for if such dying of corruption were true mortification then they that are dead in the Grave and can sin no more actually or they that are on their sick bed and disabled to former sins were mortified persons No it is an higher mystery to be mortified to sin then to not sin or not act corruption or to be spiritually changed by the spirit or spiritual nature within nor can any interpret as if they that were thus spiritually mortified need not strive against sin or the strength or the growing of it in the flesh or nature No that were a contradiction and is an impossibility for the cherishing corruption and fomenting or nourishing sinful nature will no more stand with such â—spiritually mystically mortified beleever then liberty to sin will stand with assurance of pardon for sin in the fame Childe of God Shew me any taken into the fellowship of Christs death that can make such provision for sin I speak not of some particular acts and that is the reason we read in Scriptures of so little conversation in sin or continuing in sin in the Saints former beleevers nor do the Scriptures put the form of sin or wickednesse upon particular acts of sin calling David an evil man for his uncleannesse or Job for his passions or Moses for his unbeleef or Peter for his denial but upon sinful and unregenerate nature as in Cain Esau Jeroboam Ahab Judas such are wicked men in the Scriptures account who are wicked by nature not from any particular action A Tree is not evil because it bears evil fruit but because it is naturally an evil Tree The sum of the mystery of mortification of sin in a beleever In a word to gather up this mystery of mortification of sin into a few plain words that it may be more clear both to the comforting weak beleevers that are wounded for sin and to help all beleevers more powerfully against sin in the mortifying of it 1. First let this be considered That mortification of sin is not in the not committing a sin for then children and civilly-moral men were mortified persons 2. That the fountain of sin or sinful nature is not wholly taken away by the spiritual nature begun in regeneration or the new birth 3. That pure mortification of sin is not in the meer absence of the body of sin for then dead or sick men were mortified persons 4. That the pure spiritual and mystical fountain of the mortification of sin is the being planted together in the likenesse of Christs death our old man being crucified with him Rom. 6.6 Our union with Christ our head our righteousnesse our Vine Now from these things thus considered we may raise up this consideration concerning mortification of sin That they who are mystically and spiritually planted into Christ are partakers of the power of his death which that highest purest and most mystical mortification that any have and with this there goes a spiritual power transforming and changing the whole man from former lusts this latter is called a putting on of the new man and a being renewed in spirit and in minde and a putting off the old man which is corrupt Eph. 4.22 23. Coloss. 3.10 Now that power wherein we are perfectly mortified is our union with Christ our being planted in the fellowship of his death c. and that wherein we are imperfectly or in part mortified is in that transformed nature or spiritual nature the body of sin being in a beleever more or lesse till he lay down this body and take it up a more glorious one So as a beleever is to consider himself dead to sin onely in the fellowship of Christs death mystically and to consider himself onely dying to sin in his own nature spiritually so as in Christ he is onely compleat and in himself imperfect at the best We are compleat in him saith the Apostle Coloss. 2.10 Yet there is such â— power and efficacy and mighty working in this mystical union and fellowship with Christ that he shall finde sin dying in him from this the spirit working most in the vertue of this this being like the spice or the spirit it in the wine that makes it powerful and quick Therefore we are said to be risen with Christ and to die with Christ and our life to be hid in Christ Coloss. 3.1 2 3. Christ being the life power vertue and energy of the spirit and the more of Christ we take against sin the greater and surer will our Victory against corruption and sin be And this would be well observed by those that are a little legally biassed or carried to mortifie sin by vows promises shunning occasions removing temptations strictnesse and severity in duties fear of hell and judgements scarce rising so high for their mortification as Christ Now these in themselves are but empty weak means of prevailing against sin like the mighty sails of a ship without either winde or tyde many of those do well in their place and order like Oares in a Boat which though it be carried with the tyde if well managed
they may help it to go the faster as that of shunning occasions strictnesse severity in duties and watchfulnesse But it is Christ crucified which is the power of all and in all it is Christ lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent which strikes in more soundnesse into the wounded beholder then any other meerly legal way or experiment wherein many beleevers have toyled and carnally fished all their time for power over some corruptions and like Peter and the rest have caught little or nothing because Jesus Christ was not in the company There is danger in putting too much upon the sin of relapsing or back-sliding in beleevers To conclude I would have men tender now they make conversion such a mortification to that particular sin or act which was the sin of the unregenerate condition lest while they lay down a law to prevent a sinning again or a second wounding by the same sin they make that sin if committed again as it may be wound the beleever more even to the danger of unbeleef then which there cannot be a greater to hinder true mortification because that any unbeleef keeps the soul and Christ as it were asunder and from closing in the souls own apprehension and all that time there can be little power brought home from Christ by Faith against that sin My reasons are these 1. Because that sinful nature is not wholly healed in this life so there remains a natural inclination to that particular sin as well as another nay rather because nature is more byassed towards it then any other 2. The wound pricking or sorrow that any soul enlightned by Jesus Christ feels for that sin is not of such an exceeding or rather infinite vertue as to abolish it or to lay in such a perpetual impression upon the soul that the soul should live under the image of that remorse and wound and so never dare or adventure to commit it again I finde no such lasting and continuing and firm or thorow work in the spiritual motions operations and impressions but by degrees Christ upbraided his Disciples how soon their hearts were hardned and we finde the spiritual affection and resolution of Peter wherein his soul was raised up on high wasting and flatting in his denial The gales and breathings of the spirit are like the winde Joh. 3. which makes a thing move or tremble while the power of the Air is upon it but as that slakens or breaths so doth it 3. There is no promise that I can finde for the present against the never committing again such a particular act or sin which he lived in in his unregenerate state I know there are differences made and certain works set down to know a sin by that is committed in a regenerate state before as the weaknesse and contrary dispositions or reluctancy in which it is committed 〈◊〉 Paul implies in Rom. 7. c. Though here some of these Divines may be puzzled in this way of their differences too for take a man in the strength of natural or common light living under a powerful word or Preacher by which his Candle as Solomon saith is better lighted then it was such a man shall sin against as seeming strong convictions as the other if not more But by the way I humbly conceive there are certain dampings of Satan and flesh and blood together with the withdrawings of the Spirit on Gods part that will puzzle the best that goes so exactly by marks and sense more then by Faith for the way of the spirit is not so grosse carnal discernible as the Divinity of former times and of some of this present age would make it It is as hard to trace and finde the impressions of the Spirit as the way of a bird as Solomon sayes in the Air The Spirit that is of God knows only the way of the Spirit And the Apostle speaks many things too as he says because of the infirmity of our flesh We must not therefore form up the things of the spirit too much for the feelings of flesh and blood And they that write so of a regenerate mans estate and set us down such infallible signes as we meet with commonly do take their experiences too low and carnally and mistaking the Allegory and way of the Word or Scriptures which speaks of things because of the infirmity of our flesh write upon spiritual workings as Philosophers upon Moral vertues and do bring down the spirit into the very Allegory and so allegorize and incarnate or make fleshly the things of the spirit And so do many both preach and write of regeneration as a work of nature though not a natural work 4. The restraints of the spirit or that Law of Jesus Christ in the soul is not made sure to the soul as concerning particular acts or sins but onely concerning the power of sinful nature in general and the weakning and destroying of that Neither are the particular Laws or Commandments in the Gospel always in their power upon the soul but when the Spirit of Christ doth take them and apply them and quicken them unto the soul and put a spiritual Majesty upon them The Conclusion concerning the mystical and spiritual mortification To conclude The experiences of the spirit in those that are spiritual are not all in one degree some more some lesse and the Law of the spirit in those that are spiritual will carry them against the law of sin and flesh because it is both contrary to the flesh and likewise of a spiritual and transforming nature and so gathers strength in us against the body of sin and is still working it self a greater part and dominion in us and fashioning us like unto Jesus Christ both in righteousnesse and true holinesse and the people of the Lord are very rarely found in the great sins of their unregenerate estate especially if they were grosse ones such as the light of their natural conscience abhors as well as the purer light of the spirit as adultery murder c. then they are doubly armed against them and so may more rarely commit them but if they be such particular acts or sins as are not so clearly condemned by nature as some kinde of lustings with hypocrisie passion lying c. they may the more easily be committed again because the light in nature is but faint or little thâ—â— opposes them or which takes part with the light of the spirit against them These things may be sufficient to let us see into the nature of back-sliding in the regenerate ones and to binde up the broken hearted that are faln as well as to shew a more excellent way to keep from falling in the strength of Jesus Christ And therefore let this be written upon the heart and on the palms of the hands of all both wounded and whole beleevers That we are compleatly or perfectly mortified or dead to sin by our being planted into Christ and the fellowship of his death And
we are but dying to sin in that spiritual mortification of our sinful nature in this life And therefore let not any particular acts of sin discourage any considering they are more excellently dead or mortified in Christ nor let such an excellent and glorious way of mortification tempt any to a neglect of mortification of sin in the body no more then the free-grace of God in forgivenesse of sins ought to tempt any to take liberty to sin Some Scriptures concerning falling away interpreted BUt for all this there are certain Scriptures which have a sound of much terrour in them against back-sliders as in Heb. 6.4 5. For it is impossible for those that were once enlightned c. And in 2 Pet. 2.20 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way and some others of this sort Now these places are much misinterpreted for these concern not true beleevers but such as fall from the common enlightning as in Heb. 6.8 2 Pet. 2.22 and form of Profession which never had the power of God and the spirit in it but so far as to bring them into the number of beleevers or Church of visible Saints of which sort John speaks on They went out from us because they were not of us yet the Apostles write this to the Churches because they should know that a form of Profession meerly cannot secure any unlesse there be the power and these Cautions which do more immediately and directly belong to Apostates and false Professors yet have their use upon true beleevers and Saints too as of quickning and watchfulnesse and close walking with God and of praise that they whom the Lord preserves from such Apostacy may be more awakened to glorifie his free-grace upon themselves that stand as appears in Heb. 6.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. In which places the Apostle raises up their thoughts into the immutability of the Covenant in which they now stand and that they cannot fall away now God having assured it by an Oath Yet if any shall object further But these places shew how fair a Profession one may make and how far one may go in the way of Christ and then fall off And here the soul may doubt and say But O am not I one of this kinde because I am faln back But I answer No soul can make any such application in true a Gospel-sense unlesse it fall or apostate from the Faith of Christ which is here spoken on and meant and not of particular sins or failings committed But against the power of these and all other places which Satan would interpret to the wounding of a spirit we must know the onely remedy is beleeving as Abraham did in hope against hope and that can never fall away that can beleeve and no sin can damn it if it will but beleeve the pardon of that sin which every beleever ought to do This is the Commandment that ye beleeve 1 Joh. 5. Not considering sins singly and by parts but considering himself a righteous person in Christ and justified when Christ rose for our justification For the consideration of the pardon of sin in this sense that our Divines have commonly taught and preached it not minding the spiritual Analogy of the Word concerning the righteousnesse of a beleever breeds all this distraction for some delt out Christs blood as the Pope his pardons for one sin after another never stating a beleever in the righteousnesse of Christ and so in a fully pardoned condition Ephes. 5.27 Revel. 1.5 CHAP. IV. The Party after such openings of the frame of their spirit is now discoursed with upon certain particular Questions Quest LEt me know now in order what your doubts are which you think if you were satisfied in your soul could be at peace Answ I question whether I am in Christ Quest What grounds have you to question your being in Christ Answ 1. My falling back into sin 2. I do not finde that change in the whole man 3. I cannot beleeve Quest Doubt 1. This is then your first Doubt That you are not therefore beloved of God or in Christ because you fell back again into your sin so as you did Suppose I prove to you that no sin can make one lesse beloved of God or lesse in Christ Answ Then I shall conclude that sin cannot hinder the love of God to my soul Quest I shall prove that no sin can make one lesse beloved of God or lesse in Christ 1. The mercies of God are called sure mercies his love an everlasting love his Covenant an everlasting Covenant I am perswaded saith Paul that neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord So then to whom he is once merciful he is ever merciful whom he once loves he ever loves whom he once takes into Covenant he is ever theirs I am the Lord I change not 2. Whom the Father loves he loves in the Son in whom he is well pleased and his Son is alwayes alike beloved of him the same yesterday and to day and for ever and whom he loves in his Son he accounts as his son he is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification and redemption So as we being not beloved for our own sakes but for the Sons nothing in us can make God love us lesse because he loves us not for our selves nor any thing in our selves but in and through his Son in whom he is well pleased 3. If God should love us lesse or more as we are lesse or more sinful then he should be as man and as the Son of man and if beleevers stood upon these terms with God then how are these Scriptures true He rose again for our justification who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who shall condemn There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The Foundation of God standeth sure He ever liveth to make intercession for them So as God is ever the same that loves and his love is as himself ever the same and Christ in whom we are beloved ever the same Doubt 2. Your other doubt is this You finde not a change in the whole man What mean you by this change in your own sense Answ I mean not a perfect change but a newnesse in all the powers and parts of soul and body which I suppose to be sanctification Quest Is the end which you propound to your self in finding out this change of the whole man for grounding any assurance on of Gods love and your being in Christ Answ Yea because they that are in Christ are so changed and there is such a work wrought all things are become new and old things are passed away Now I finde not this Quest The scope of your doubt then is that because you feel not your self sanctified you think you are not justified I shall allow you your
sanctification so far as the Scriptures do as a lower motive and more carnally mixed and uncertain way of perswasion and assurance of justification But a little to note to you two sides sadly mistaking one another in points of this nature The one cryes out against the other as if they held we were justified partly from our being sanctified or from our works the other on the contrary cry out that such would cast out all sanctification Now such opinions are in neither of them Justly in them I mean in those of both that can spiritually judge But there are some expressions on both parts which make the one passe for legal Teachers and the other for Antinomians The one giving too much in their Sermons and Books to Faith and Works in an unwarrantable jealousie lest holinesse should be sleighted some other lesse then is fit lest free-grace should lose her due and both in an unwarrantable jealousie And indeed the latter I must prefer before the former For if I must erre I had rather cry down men to exalt Christ then Christ to exalt men though I would do neither but let both have their place and order In this point I hope in the Lord to keep from dashing against the Scriptures either way the Spirit of the Lord lighting my candle The Doubt Because I feel not my self sanctified I fear I am not justified The Doubt being thus I shall lay down these particulars 1. If you suppose that God takes in any part of your faith repentance or new obedience or sanctification as a ground upon which he justifies or forgives you you are clear against the Word For if it be of works it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more work 2. It must then be onely the evidence of your being justified that you seek for in your sanctification And these two things premised I now proceed 1. We must allow any to take in any thing of their sanctification to help their assurance which the Word allows as the Spirit and the fruits of it repentance mortification of sin new obedience c. But then it must be done in the Scriptures own cautions and way 2. The Scriptures lay down these following things 1. Christs sanctification to ours or his true holinesse 2. Faith about our own sanctification 1. As first Christ is revealed to be our sanctification Christ is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Ye are Christs but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus He hath quickned us together with Christ We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith That new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones And be found in him not having my own righteousnesse I can do all things through Christ which strengthneth me That we present every man perfect in Christ Jesus But Christ is all and in all Your life is hid with Christ in God See Heb. 13.20 21. All these Scriptures set forth Christ the sanctifiâ—ation and the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly he hath repented perfectly he hath sorrowed for sin perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly he hath mortified sin perfectly and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. The second thing is faith about our own sanctification We must beleeve more truth of our own graces then we can see or feel which the Lord hath in his infinite wisdom and dispensation so ordered that here our life should be hid with Christ in God that we should walk by faith and not by sight So as we are to beleeve our repentance true in him who hath repented for us our mortifying sin true in him through whom we are more then conquerours our new obedience true in him who hath obeyed for us and is the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth our change of the whole man true in him who is righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus without Faith it is impossible to please God This is the Scripture-assurance for a childe of God or beleever to see every thing in himself as nothing and himself every thing in Christ Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen Heb. 11.1 All other assurances are rotten conclusions from the Word and such things as true legal Teachers have invented not understanding the mystery of the Kingdom of Christ The Scriptures bid you see nothing in your self or all as nothing These Teachers bid you see something in your self so as the leaving out Christ in sanctification is the foundation of all doubts fears and distractions And he that looks on his repentance on his love on his humility on his obedience and not in the tincture of the Blood of Christ must needs beleeve weakly and uncomfortably But now to propose some questions to you Quest You say you feel not the change of the whole man Answ Yea. Quest Then I must prove your sanctification to you not your justification Answ Yea for they that are justified are sanctified too which I cannot finde in my self Quest Will you say a thing is not there because you feel it not there Answ But I do not know it to be there Quest But will you conclude it is not there because you know it not to be there Answ Nay Quest You say well for David cryed out in the bitternesse of his soul that his sin was ever before him and then his sanctification was out of his sight and that God had forgotten to be gracious But I said says he this is my infirmity You know in a house when it is dark all things are there that were before but you see them not till the candle be brought in The womans groat in the Parable was in the house but she found it not till she had lighted her candle Therefore you must say as David Light my candle O Lord and the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord Answ But I feel corruption more violent which would not be if it were mortified Quest You are mistaken in that it is from life in you and spirit in you that you feel corruption if you were dead in sins and trespasses you could feel nothing no more then a dead man These oppositions in you shew a twofold law within you A law in your members with the law of your minds Two natures in you of flesh and spirit the flesh lusteth against the spirit nor is the light of a meer natural conscience or a soul commonly enlightned such a strange opposer and complainer against the law of sin in the flesh as you seem to have in you besides John saith If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves But I dare not carry you on too far by signs
God is said to be in Covenant with a soul A Soul is then properly actually or expresly in Covenant with God when God hath come to it in the promise and then when it feels it self under the power of the promise it begins onely to know it is in Covenant and yet to yeeld and obey as if it were but to enter into that Covenant which God hath made with it in Christ before it could do any thing so as they that beleeve do rather feel themselves in that Covenant which God hath made with them without any thing in themselves either faith or repentance c. X. A justified person is a perfect person A Person justified or in Covenant is as pure in the sight of God as the righteousnesse of Christ can make him though not so in his own eyes that there may be work for faith because God sees His onely in Christ not in themselves and if they were not in such a perfect righteousnesse they could not be loved of him because his eyes are purer then to behold iniquity or to love a sinner as a sinner XI Sin separates not his from God but from Communion with God NO sins can make God who loves for ever unchangeably love us lesse and yet a beleever will grieve for sin because it grieves the Spirit of his God and though he know sin cannot now separate from God yet because it once separated he hates it and because it separates still though not from God yet from Communion with God grieving the holy Spirit of God XII Christ in the flesh CHRIST in the flesh was God himself who that he might reveal his love to us made us partakers of the divine nature by fashioning our nature for his own glory to live in and by being both God and man amongst us and for us and herein is the mystery of reconciliation None but the nature of God could reconcile God and no nature but mans that had sinned could properly suffer for man therefore there is one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus XIII Christs being in our nature CHRIST was love mercy and riches of free-grace manifested in the flesh and in our nature that they might slow out more abundantly upon our nature on the vessels of mercy chosen in this Christ before the foundations of the world XIV Christs love CHRISTS love must needs exceed all the love of the children of men for he was the very love of God clothed in flesh and blood This is he that was red in his apparel as he that treadeth in the wine-presse XV Christ doing and suffering for our sakes CHRIST came into the world that he might do what we could not do to the fulfilling of the Law and suffer what we could not suffer for the breach of the Law XVI Christs Mediatorship CHRIST standing now as a Person betwixt God and the children of men takes in the fulnesse of righteousnesse and sin from both natures righteousnesse from God and sin from men whereby all the sins of his people are fully done away by the infinite glory of that righteousnesse both from himself and us XVII The right general Redemption by the second Adam CHRIST is the second Adam in whom all are made alive as all in the first Adam were dead but not so as if all who were dead in the first Adam were made alive in the second but as the first Adam was the person in whom all that are dead did die so Christ is the second Adam in whom all that are alive do live for Christ is the common nature of the living mankinde who live unto righteousnesse as Adam was the common nature of the dead mankinde who die unto unrighteousnesse For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous God hath concluded all under sin That the promises by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 XVIII Christs love THe love of Christ exceeded in this that he gave himself to die for us when we were enemies to him and crucified him our selves who came to be crucified for us and could neither love him nor pitty him for what he did For while we were as yet sinners Christ died for us and greater love then this hath no man This is the mystery that man could not live in Christ till he had killed Christ first And thus he was wounded in the house of his friends O all ye that passe by the way behold and consider if ever there were mystery like unto this mystery XIX Christs blood THe blood of Christ was not the blood of man onely but the blood of the Son of God and therefore it was a price for sin the very power of the Godhead as it were bleeding for sin by which it is called The Redemption of his blood and the blood of the Son of GOD XX Christs Blood powred out THe Blood of CHRIST powred out wrought greater compassion in GOD towards men I speak as a man then the sufferings of all the men in the world could do because he being begotten of GOD himself and the expresse Image of his person though he could not suffer being so infinite a glory yet because that person suffered which was GOD and man or the Son of GOD in man the Father in an unspeakable way beheld the travel of his soul and was satisfied XXI Christs Vesture dipt in blood CHRISTS Garment which he was described in by the Prophets under the Law is of a colour to set forth love and suffering under the Gospel for this is he that came from Bozra with his garments died red XXII Christs comelinesse THe comelinesse of Christ in the Gospel is a most desireable comelinesse for the sons of men to love it is the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of grace the â—weetest object for those in misery to delight in This is that beloved which is more then another beloved XXIII Christs beauty CHRIST hath both the form and power of love in him and therefore it is that his Spouse or His behold him as white and ruddy and the fairest amongst ten thousands white in the glory of his Godhead and ruddy in the sufferings of his Manhood and because of his sweet oyntments or powrings out of spirit the Virgins follow him for his hands drop myrrhe upon the soul even spiritual graces upon the handles of the Lock XXIV Christs names CHRIST will be known to His by no other names but names of love and grace a Lover a Bridegroom a Physitian a Saviour an Emmanuel or God with us an onely begotten Son of God the brightnesse of his glory a merciful and faithful high Priest a Sacrifice for sin a Mediator an Advocate for sin a Beloved and he brings a soul to the banquetting house of spiritual things and his banner over it is love XXV Christ and His CHRIST having adorned his in the riches of his
righteousnesse looks on them and loves them in his own glory so as they both love one another Christ and His delight in one another Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes with one chain of thy neck saith Christ and saith the Spouse My beloved is the fairest amongst ten thousands XXVI Christs love in Heaven to us or Christ exalted THe love of Christ is more now in Heaven towards us by how much more the love of God is gloriously shed abroad within him yet his nature is the same for he is no lesse man nor more God then he was but more excellently God and man even the man Christ Jesus XXVII The Gospel is Christ revealed THe Gospel is Christ himself and love revealed or the Word of God in the Word or the glad tydings of what he hath done and suffered for sinners and over whom he hath conquered being Captain of our salvation having spoiled principalities and powers making a shew of them openly and triumphing over them Col. 1.15 It is the ministery of life and peace and glory or God speaking to men from Heaven and intreating them to beleeve that he was born of the seed of David suffered died and rose again for their justification and that they are sitting together with him in heavenly places XXVIII The Mystery of Christ in the Gospel a Mystery of Love THe whole businesse of Christ as it was begun in love and brought forth in love unto the world and all the actings and workings of it from Gods being in Christ to Christs sitting at the right hand of God are but a Gospel or Story of unspeakable love revealed to the world so the carrying on of all yet is in love man in this Gospel is only to be perswaded of such love in love and sweetly tempted and drawn to love again in the ministery of the Gospel and the Spirit of love and adoption is shed abroad by the Gospel in the souls of men to reconcile them who are otherwise enemies in their mindes by wicked works and to make them love him who never was an enemy to them in Jesus Christ in whom they were chosen though the mystery is revealed to us under a particoloured work of sin and grace XXIX A Beleevers glorious freedom THe Spirit of Christ sets a beleever as frâ—e from Hell the Law and bondage here on Earth as if he were in Heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to make him beleeve that he is so for Satan sin sinful flesh and the Law are all so neer and about him in this life that he cannot so walk by sight or in the clear apprehension of it but the just do live by faith and faith is the evidence of things not seen XXX All the sins of beleevers done away on the Crosse THere is no sin to be committed which Christ did not pay down the price of his Blood for upon the Crosse making peace through the blood of his Crosse and yet a beleever will sin as tenderly as if all his sins were to pay for yet knowing that he is not redeemed to sin but from sin not that he may sin but that sinning he may not suffer for sin Christ is risen for our justification XXXI Christ offered to sinners CHRIST in the Gospel cals out of Heaven to sinners by that very name and tels them he hath salvation for them if they will beleeve him Nor doth he stand upon what sins lesse or more greater or smaller so as none can say they are not called on and proffered salvation be they never so sinful XXXII A Beleever must live in Christ not in himself A Beleever hath a twofold condition yet as a beleever but one in Christ in himself yet he ought ever to consider himself in Christ by faith not in himself in Christ he hath perfectly obeyed the whole Law perfectly suffered and satisfied for all his sins to the Justice of God and in Christ is perfectly just and righteous and therefore it is said that our life is hid with Christ in God and we are raised up with Christ and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus even already but in himself there is a body of lust corruption and sin and there is a Law revealing sin accusing and condemning So as if a beleever live onely by sense reason and experience of himself and as he lives to men he lives both under the power and feeling of sin and the Law but if he live by faith in Christ beleeving in the life righteousnesse obedience satisfaction and glory of him he lives out of the power of all condemnation and unrighteousnesse And thus a beleever is blessed onely in a righteousnesse without not within and all his assurance confidence comforts are to flow into him through a channel of faith not of works beleeving himself happy for what another even Christ hath done for him not what he hath done or can do for himself XXXIII How Christ and a beleever were one in sin and righteousnesse ALL the ground of a beleevers righteousnesse and salvation and exemption from the Law sin and the curse is from the nature office and transaction or work of Christ and Gods accounting or imputing Christ stood clothed in our nature betwixt God and man and in that with all the sins of beleevers upon him God having laid on him the iniquities of us all In his Office he obeyed suffered satisfied and offered up himself and now sits as a Mediator to perpetuate or make his sacrifice obedience suffering and righteousnesse everlasting and thus bringing in everlasting righteousnesse And God he accounts reckons or imputes all that is done in our nature as done by us calling things that are not as if they were and in his person as in our person And thus he is made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him XXXIV We must come before God as having put on Christ first not as sinners and unrighteous A Beleever in all his dealings with God either by Prayer or other way of drawing neer is to state and consider himself thus in Christ in the first place and to put on the relation of Sonship and Righteousnesse and to look at or consider sins no otherwise in himself then as debts paid and cancelled by the blood of Christ and by this all bondages fears and doubtings are removed and his Spirit is free For the Son hath made him free And now he comes in the spirit of adoption and calls God Father and here begins all faith hope confidence love liberty when as others dare not beleeve themselves in such a condition till upon terms of humiliation sorrow for sin works of righteousnesse they have as they think a reasonable measure price or satisfaction to come with and then begin to beleeve hope and be confident And thus in way of compounding and bargaining with God
1 Joh. 2.27 And I will put my Law in their mindes Heb. 8.10.11 And the comforter whom I will send he shall teach you Joh. 14.26 1 Thes. 4.9 Acts 2.17 Thus whatever doctrine of holinesse is in the new Testament we are to receive it because it is now the doctrine of him who is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord as well as Jesus Christ and one who commands as well as saves Nor is there any Covenant of works in such kinde of obedience Life is given us to make us obey but not for obeying XXXVIII The new Covenant further set forth to be meerly a promise THe Covenant that is called the new Covenant that God makes with his now under the Gospel is all on his own part without any thing on mans he makes himself ours and makes us his all is of his own doing though a Covenant in the strict legal common sense is upon certain articles of agreement and conditions on both sides to be performed Thus stood the old Covenant there was life promised on condition of obedience and so in covenants and contracts betwixt man and man but now there is a Covenant or rather promise in Jesus Christ who is called the Mediator or Mannager of the Covenant in which God gives himself freely in Christ to be the God of a poor sinner Christ undertaking all both with the father and the soul such a kinde of covenant was established with Noah Gen. 9.11 Behold I establish my covenant c. nothing required on mans part This is called a new Covenant for it is clear against the strain of the old wherein man was to have his life upon condition yet it were good that we did not rest too much in the notion of a covenant nor is it the way of a covenant that the Gospel uses but rather the promise or grace or salvation for the Spirit uses the word Covenant onely by way of allusion and because the soul being under the power of the spirit doth it self contract and covenant with God to obey though God gives no life in such a way of a covenant or obedience And I observe that the usage of this word hath a little corrupted some in their notion of free-grace makes them conceive a little too legally of it And I conceive that the Doctrine of it in Heb. 8.10 c. I will write my law c. And I will take away your stony heart c. And put a new spirit within you Jer. 31.31 Hezek 36.26 doth clear it to be onely promise and grace and free-love to a sinner for if any thing were to be done for life or salvation we should darken the glory of free-grace and make it a promise neither wholly of grace nor wholly of works And if it be of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11.6 Nor is this promise of salvation given to sinners as sinners barely simply and singly nor as qualified or conditioned not to sinners as sinners for God can onely love in Christ nor as qualified and conditioned for so life should be purchased by us rather then for us so as we are onely sinners in our own and others judgements but truely loved in Christ when the promise comes And thus the Scripture cals us ungodly and sinners and children of wrath Not that we are so but seem so or not so in Gods account but the worlds So as here is ground enough for any to offer salvation to the veriest sinners and for the veriest sinners to receive for God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 XXXIX The way of assurance for beleevers THe surest knowledge that any one hath that they have received the promise is the closing of their heart with Christ the real receiving and beleeving the relying and going out of the heart upon Christ The just shall live by faith Rom. 1.17 We walk by faith and not by sight This was the assurance the Father of the faithful had who staggered not at the promise but gave glory to God Yet this assurance is such as the soul cannot be content with onely there is something in man beside faith to be satisfied reason will have more light to see by and therefore the working of the spirit in new obedience and love and repentance and self-denial are such glimmerings as the soul may be refreshed by though not strengthned by and comforted by though not supported by Works though they cannot assure by themselves yet raised up by faith may with it cheer up the soul if we beleeve more of those works then we see or feel and so strengthen them by faith they may be like the tokens and change of raiment by which Jacob was perswaded that Joseph was alive by these we may be better perswaded that we live and live in Christ Therefore the soul being a reasonable and discoursive spirit is much satisfied in such a way when the Spirit of God helps it to reason and draw conclusions as thus The Word sayes Whosoever beleeves shall not perish But I beleeve saith the Soul and therefore according to this Word shall not perish The Word sayes To beleeve is to receive or put confidence in or trust as in John 1.12 But I receive Jesus Christ for mine I trust in him for salvation therefore I beleeve The Word sayes Repentance love self-denial obedience to the Will of God are all the fruits of the spirit but these are in me I can repent and love and deny my self and obey The Word sayes That we are compleat in Christ and righteous in Christ but when I repent or love or obey I beleeve I am in Christ and therefore my love and repentance and obedience is such as I may beleeve though not in themselves yet in him to be good and spiritual And thus a beleever may beleeve for assurance and yet reason for assurance and some other questions a beleever may put to his own spirit and draw it out into more conclusions for beleeving Am I Christs or my own If I be Christs do I walk with Christ And live to Christ And obey Christ Do I delight in Christ and those that are Christs Or do I live to my self to my lust To my profit or credit To others or the world XL The Gospel-Ministration very glorious THe ministration of the Gospel exceeds in glory for now under the ministery of Jesus Christ himself the heavenly things themselves are brought forth the free-love of God in Jesus Christ and the free-love of Jesus Christ himself all the powrings out of spirit and the full discoveries of love were reserved for Christs own day the Kingdom of God the righteousnesse the justification the forgivenesse of sins the spirit of comfort the glorious liberty of peace and joy unspeakable are the glory of Christ come in the flesh the treasures that went with his
acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 As if he should say doth any of your hearts tell ye you are sinners Let not that be any ground at all to keep you from Christ let not any despaire because of that I my self was thus and thus a blasphemer a persecutor nay as if that were not enough I was the chief of sinners or the sinner in chief the grand and supreme sinner as if there could not well have been a greater and I says he obtained mercy So as here the Spirit hath laid in answers to the objecting or doubting soul If the soul should object If I were not such a sinner as I am I could beleeve the Spirit answers Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners As if he should say to save even just such as thou art If the soul should object further but there is not such a sinner as I am the Spirit answers yea But here is one greater then thou here is the chief of all sinners the Prince of sinners obtaining mercy of which I am the chief So as none can be such a sinner to whom Christ and the blood of Christ may not be tendered and offered and that upon these grounds 1. From the order of Gods decree he loved us and gave Christ for us when we were sinners God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son John 3. 2. The offering the Gospel and Jesus Christ to a sinner as a sinner is but the bringing out this glorious love of God in time and dispensation it is but the offering that love which God loved them with from everlasting Neither is it any more to offer Christ to a sinner then to manifest God in his first love when he gave Christ for sinners in his own decree 3. It exalteth grace more and sheweth as a gift indeed what can be more of grace then that Jesus Christ should receive a sinner one who hath no money nor price no works nor righteousnesse to bring for him 4. It is the right lifting up Jesus Christ as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse not for the healed to look upon but the stung and wounded 5. It leaves men without all excuse and brings the greater condemnation for when Christ is brought home to the very soul and the blood offered at every ones door for receiving then there can be no objecting Lord had I been thus and thus fit and prepared then I should have received thee but I was a foul sinner at that very time so and so guilty O will the Lord answer I come therefore to pardon thee and to wash thee in my blood because thou wert so foul and that is no excuse 6. It is most agreeable to the Gospel-way of dispensation and Christs own preaching The whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 7. All that ever received Christ in the Gospel received him in a sinful condition the many beleeving Jews in the sin of crucifying Christ all the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Colosse Such were some of you but ye are washed c. And ye were sometimes darknesse but are now light in the Lord Ephes. 5. Ye who were dead in trespasses and sins and were enemies in your mindes by wicked works yet now hath he quickned Coloss. 1. So as to offer Jesus Christ to sinners as sinners is but 1. To offer him in time as God gave him before all time God gave him to us because we were sinners and now he is but offered as he was given 2. There is more of grace in it to offer him to a sinner as a sinner that where sin hath abounded grace may abound much more 3. There is a clearer lifting up Christ as Moses for the wounded to look on as well as the whole 4. Men are left without excuse because when he is held out to sinners as sinners all are in a condition for him sin and a saviour are most suteable 5. It is as Christ himself did who both calls sinners and converses with sinners with Mary Magdalen an harlot and with the Publicans and with the woman of Samaria who lived in uncleannesse when the pure Messiah preached himself to her 6. It is as all that ever received him both in Jerusalem Corinth Ephesus c. who had they not been foul had never been washed had they not been darknesse had never been light in the Lord But you will tell me of conditions in the Gospel of faith and repentance c. and certain legal preparations before Christ should be offered and brought to the soul Yea but that ye may not be puzzled as many are In the Gospel-way or dispensation faith and repentance is to be preached but Jesus Christ still with it Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ And you are not to consider repentance from beleeving nor beleeving from repentance nor either from Jesus Christ nor Jesus Christ without them and yet neither of them as bringing in Christ to the soul but Christ bringing in them and working them more and more in the soul and that upon these grounds 1. Christ is not ours by any act of our own but Gods God imputing and accounting To make Christ ours is an Almighty work not the work of any thing created So as Christ is ours without faith by a power more glorious and infinite but we cannot here know him to be ours but by beleeving nor partake of him as ours but by beleeving 2. If faith should give us our interest in Christ then as our faith increases our interest should increase and we should be more and more justified and forgiven which none allow calling these other acts of faith faith of assurance and acts of manifestation and if faith be thus in its other degrees of working why not in its first It is the evidence of things unseen Heb. 11. 3. If Christ should be ours by faith in this sense then when faith ceases shall we cease to be justified Shall faith begin our interest here and not be able to continue it hereafter 4. Can a sinner be too foul for a Saviour and too wounded for a Physitian to heal and too filthy for a fountain opened to wash 5. He that offers Christ offers all the conditions in him both of faith and repentance For Christ is exalted to give repentance c. And faith is called the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 6. It is no more to offer Jesus Christ then any grace of Christs or gift of Christs to a sinner for a sinner is as unprepared and unfit for the one as the other equally in sin and pollution to both 7. This spiritual work is a new creation and so works of preparation are not so proper in that We
exalted but to study every part and parcel and passage of Jesus Christ And thus to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified The several wayes of Free-grace and the general point searched FRee-grace is conveyed to us under several notions in these times and I shall in few words gather up the conceptions intending a larger draught of it hereafter The first way of Free-grace free without all condition of Grace THe first and purest conceive of the Mystery thus That God the Father for manifestation of his mercy and love purposed some to glory whom he loved freely and gave his Son to be a way to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and righteousnesse knowing that thâ—â—ould fall under sin and condemnation in the first Adam where he might justly have left them as the rest in their blood and pollution had it not been for that free-grace in himself and therefore that Son is called the second Adam or quickning spirit and this mystery of salvation is free infinitely free the Father loving freely and giving his Son the Son loving freely and giving himself freely and the spirit working from them both freely for the manifestation of this salvation in the souls of his elect and through the ministery of a free Gospel even to sinners as sinners and children of wrath in themselves A second way of Free-grace free onely with conditions THe second sort hold which is called the Reformed opinion and is the more general That God did freely decree or purpose some to salvation in Christ through the intervening and instrumental assistance of faith c. And that none are actually justified nor partakers of this free salvation but by faith and the Goâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 ministery of conditions or qualificatio◠〈◊〉 this salvation And this I call a Decrâ—e with Graces A third way of Free-grace free onely upon condition THe third sort hold That God did freely purpose some to salvation and therefore gave Jesus Christ but it was onely to those whom he foresaw through the help of a Gospel-ministery and other spiritual sufficiency would embrace Jesus so given yea given for all if all would have embraced him And this I call a respective Decree for Graces A fourth way of Free-grace free meerly in the extent THe fourth sort hold That God purposed some to glory and salvation in Jesus Christ without respect to any thing but the intervenings of faith c. and gave this Jesus Christ to die for all not that all should have saâ—â—â—â—â—on by him but onely the elect who are onely made to beleeve and that the Gospel-ministery reveals such a kinde of general Redemption otherwise the Gospel could not justly be tendred to all nor any be condemned for not beleeving nor unbeleeving be any sin This last I shall onely speak on This is in part the general point and it is answered thus Some do it by a way of interpreting the general Scriptures as these of Gods loving the world c. Interpreting the world in opposition to Jews and by that understanding the Gentiles who were called the world And so of sending Jesus Christ to be a propitiation not for ours but the sins of the whole world c. Rom. 11.11 12. And so where ever the word all is that God will have all saved c. they interpret it with restriction to some of all c. Matth. 3.5 And so for the general tenders of the Gospel they interpret that by way of dispensation for the better gathering up the elect from all sorts and places Matth. 24.31 And so for not beleeving they say men are not damned for not beleeving simply but from the condemnation 〈◊〉 â—re left under though their not beleâ—â—â—â—â— may make their condemnation greater Some answer it by shewing forth the contradiction in this of Christ dying for all and saving some that it is as much as Christ died for all and not for all Some answer by turning it into immortality for all but not salvation for all Some answer by revealing Gods love and Jesus Christ as the effect of this love as it were the instrument and minister of this love and this love of God going out onely to the elect for whom Christ is given This way they conceive takes off general Redemption But we must take heed of making Christ more instrumental and ministerial then the Father hath made him and will stand with the honour of the Son who is the first born of the elect the head of the body And we must be spiritually wary in distinguishing too curiously upon Jesus Christ as Son and Mediator c. but onely in a Scripture-way for Christ is but one and salvation is one Thus far some worthy beleevers go in opposing the general point but we must go a little further in finding out the Mystery of the general point and meet with it there Now I humbly conceive the mystery lies onely in a rational way of justice and Gospel-dispensation That God will not meerly and arbitrarily damn any because he will So as he hath put every one under a state of Redemption and power of salvation and they are damned from their own will not from Gods Thus go the deepest and most notional of that way And the other part of the mystery which is lowest and most argued for in these times and by most is onely that the Gospel cannot rationally be tendred but upon some such general ground as Christ dying for all Thus I have opened though weakly the mystery and the opening it may be enough and the whole building of the universal Grations is all upon a rational notion strengthned with some general terms in the Word Now let them see whether meer Reason is a Principle high enough for a spiritual mystery And if bringing salvation down upon such a ground be proportionable to so glorious a work as that of Redemption besides all the intervenings it hath with free-grace and free-justification and election of grace c. Now let the Mystery be lookt on in their way which is this Christ died for all else the Gospel cannot be preached to all And in the other way which is this Christ died onely for his and it is offered to all that his who are amongst this all might beleeve and though he died not for all yet none are excepted and yet none accepted but they that beleeve and none beleeve but they to whom it is given And in this way of salvation there lies more mystery which is more sutable to a divine work Great is the mystery of godlinesse And this ground That none are excepted is as clear and spiritually rational for the Gospel to be preached to all as this ground That he died for all Seeing upon both grounds Some onely are saved and not all and a decree of meer grace and of faith foreseen do equally imply an impossibility of all to be saved and therefore why is it so contended for that all are redeemed Some Truths of Free-grace sparkling in former Writers and in